Archive for March, 2010

This does show that the independent store is far more adaptable than the larger franchises who don’t understand the needs of customers on the whole let alone at a local level, however, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There is a big difference between being a survivor in this mess of an industry and bringing home a salary that allows you to pay all your bills, have money for yourself and still spend time with your own family around the dinner table.

Also, it’s quotes like this that still make me wonder if people really understand this industry:

""People still need to eat," she said, adding that her meals are still cheaper and healthier than picking up fast food for a quick meal."

Hanging your hat on that mantra will lead to bankruptcy, as we’ve already seen…

Nationwide, the number of meal assembly businesses increased from four in 2002 to 1,400 in 2007, according to a recent story in The New York Times. But growth has slowed considerably. About 260 stores closed in 2007, and three times as many closed the previous year, according to the story.

Sioux Falls has experienced a similar downturn. Of the three businesses that opened, only the local player, Your Secret Kitchen, is still around.

Owner Kim Schetnan said it’s because she’s a locally owned business that she’s been able to survive. She was able to adapt more easily to the changing market.

Would it be considered ironic or laughable that Super Suppers will be closing down their corporate run store because they can’t make any money with it? As we’ve clearly seen, even the so called creators of this industry can’t make any money from an actual store, they can only raise capital by selling franchises to anyone who asks and then gouging them again when their store fails. Capitalism is a fine thing isn’t it?

So where does this leave Super Suppers? With an ever shrinking base of open stores it’s hard to imagine that the corporate office really serves any purpose, if there’s even a corporate office any more.

We all know Judie has abandoned the franchise for greener pastures so who’s at the helm? Is anyone actually steering this ship?

Are current owners looking to try and become independent owners or like the corporate owners themselves, just give up on the idea of meal assembly altogether?

As it stands now, Super Suppers is right on track to be dissolved well before the end of the year. Since we’re right on the cusp of Spring and then the long slow Summer, it seems like dark times ahead for this franchise and it’s remaining owners.

Seriously, if you don’t have an escape plan yet, you need to get one. This franchise is doomed, you need to protect yourself and minimize the damage. You might be able to make some headway as an independent but you need to have more than just hopes and dreams and the idea that since all the other stores are gone you can make money now. No one’s made money up to this point, why should the future be different?

The “meat” also contains something called “autolyzed yeast extract.” Then add another 20 ingredients that make up the breading, and you have the industrial chemical—we mean, fast-food meal—called the McNugget. Still, McDonald’s is practically all-natural compared to Wendy’s Chicken Nuggets, with 30 ingredients, and Burger King Chicken Fries, with a whopping 35 ingredients.

February was a fast month wasn’t it? Not too much happening in the world of meal assembly, but I have seen quite a few articles about dream Dinners and their recipe contest winners. One the one hand that seems like a neat idea, but on the other, considering the bad shape Dream Dinners is in, it seems like a cheap way to get new recipe ideas. It’s old news that DD doesn’t really have a recipe development department any more, but there’s something about this that I always find irksome.

Another topic I have seen come up is Independent stores that are starting to gain a small amount of ground with customers since the big chain stores have fallen off. Have other Independent stores found a few more customers now that Dream Dinners and Super Suppers have left your area? I still can’t say there’s money to be made anymore, but it might give the opportunity to shut down things on your own terms. Hopefully no one is actually considering starting one of these businesses up now that the competition has abated. That would just be silly.

And where is Super Suppers these days? From the dwindling numbers and complete lack of news from HQ I can only assume those in charge have abandoned ship and have left the store owners to fend for themselves? Are there any Super Suppers own out there who want to fill us in on how you’re making it month to month? Are you still getting new recipes? Is there still a corporate office? Normally no news is good news, but this kind of silence is getting a little scary.